Is This the End
by addicted fan
Summary: ch. 3 Draco need his parents to help him sort out the mess
1. Default Chapter

Was this it then? Shivering in the cold, Ginny looked into his grey eyes and felt colder still. 

He must know. Although they had prided themselves on their discretion, indulging in their forbidden romance, his father plumed himself on ferreting out (and how Draco would hate her for thinking those words) pertinent facts. So here she stood, captured on the battlefield, waiting to be interrogated by Lucius Malfoy. With one strong curse he could destroy an enemy and incidentally murder his son's inappropriate choice of a lover.

She stared up at him, wishing she hadn't left. Years of living up to Gryffindor notions of bravery had compelled her to sneak out and do her part - and now she would never see Draco again. 

That hurt. What hurt the most was Draco would probably never forgive her for this - not that he was likely to learn about it. Ginny didn't think Malfoy would brag about killing her to Draco - but then who knew what twisted thoughts lurked inside Lucius Malfoy's brain. Ginny knew all about twisted thoughts since her first year.

"Ginny Weasley... how delightful it is to see you again." 

Ginny repressed a shudder. There was nothing to do but wait."

"I must say I'm unimpressed." Lucius continued. 

Ginny stupidly thought of her bedraggled appearance complete with bruises. 

"No girl. I meant that any person with an ounce of cunning or self-preservation would be plotting an escape instead of imagining how to die with dignity."

Ginny winced. "So sorry I don't measure up to Death Eater standards." she retorted.

"I don't expect much from a Weasley. I suppose your family doesn't mind your running off to war - at the rate they breed I suppose it doesn't make much difference."

Ginny remembered the first night she and Draco made love. She had blushed asking him to cast an anti-conception charm even though she had already cast one on herself. The Weasley fertility was too legendary to joke about. But afterwards, sated in his arms, she had wondered what their child would be like.

"I don't expect you to understand about family, Mr. Malfoy. After all, Voldemort's henchman is such a precarious position and..."

"Let's cut the preliminary chit chat Miss Weasley." If it was possible Lucius' tone became even icier. "For some incomprehensible reason Draco loves you, so I really have no choice."

Ginny forced herself to stare into Lucius' grey eyes. Apparently he had tired of playing with her and now, like the predator he was ...

She gasped. With an elegant swish and flick her bonds were loosed. She stared at him dumbfounded.

"Take it girl." he snarled holding out a pen, which Ginny deduced must be a portkey.

"Why?"

"Oh don't be more of an idiot than you are. I've given Draco everything he's wanted his entire life, I'm not going to stop now. Get out of here."

He pressed the pen into her hand and suddenly she was gone. 

Lucius sank down heavily into a chair. He would have to obliviate Crabbe and Goyle. That was the first step. Narcissa would kill him. Although really, she had spoilt Draco just as much - more in fact. Yes, this was all her fault. He would tell her that someday when they were watching hordes of carrot-topped Malfoys roaming the family mansion blowing up the odd antique. They would have the rest of their lives.


	2. She didn't mean to make a habit of it

She didn't mean to make a habit of it. 

That first time, she had returned home, still clutching the silver pen, shaking. Draco was there, grabbing her shoulders tightly. He didn't say anything. He just pulled her close. She felt his tears against the top of her head. When he pulled back, mouth open ready to scold her, to demand answers, she kissed him fiercely and conversation was suspended. 

When the order questioned her, she told the truth. Ron cursed loudly. Even her father, grateful for his daughter's deliverance, looked shocked. Snape smiled sourly. Perhaps he, more than anyone else, knew how easy it was for Gryffindors to paint Voldemort's supporters as entirely evil. 

The next time, she didn't sneak out. Draco fought with her, hexed her, ranted and raved. She tried to explain that she wasn't abandoning him - that the cause was greater than all of them. She argued they wouldn't be able to live happily unless Voldemort was defeated, and she had to do her part. She knelt down beside his stunned body, pressed a kiss on his lips, and begged him to understand, to forgive. Then she left once more for the battlefields.

Are you out of your mind, girl? Lucius stared at Ginny Weasley. Why oh why couldn't his son have fallen in love with that Parkinson chit, someone with a brain in their head. This Weasley girl was nothing but trouble. 

"Dumbledore thought you might be interested in helping our side.

"Well of course if Dumbledore endorses the plan it must be entirely risk free. Lucius snarled. He should have killed her the last time. She was more confident. Show a Weasley an inch and they take a yard. The whole tribe deserved to be squelched. 

"But you will help? 

"Save your meager charms for my besotted son. He had nothing but pity and contempt for Draco. Always weak, letting Ginny Weasley ensnare him in her coils demonstrated how unfit he was for the political arena. Lucius loved the poor polish boy. Narcissa and he both doted upon our only child. Would Ginny Weasley be the downfall of everything he held most dear?

"Where is she? Draco called as he apparated into the tent.

"Draco." Ginny gasped , rather needlessly. She looked embarrassed. Draco looked a mess. Clearly he hadn't bothered to dispel all the hexes before coming to rescue his precious idiot. 

"I never should have sent you to Hogwarts." 

Lucius' comment was completely ignored. Instead he was forced to watch the lovers' apologetic reunion.

"Ginny. 

"Oh Draco, I'm so sorry.

"No. You're not. You'll do this again and again.

"I have to. I can't let my family and Harry fight without me. I can't always be afraid, like I was in

"Shhh darling, it's ok. I understand. I just don't think

"Neither of you seems capable of thinking. Lucius interjected in an icy tone completely at variance with the rage he felt. "Draco, has it crossed your mind that being in a Death Eater camp isn't exactly safe for you considering you have refused the Dark Mark. I am not as powerful as I would like to be, much as I am loathe to admit it, and all this farce needs is for your Aunt to appear and all three of us will be doomed.

"Father, I.

"How did you get past the wards? Lucius knew he should have overseen the spells himself, but Voldemort had demanded his presence and He sighed. "Never mind. Just take the barmy bint and go.

"I can't.

Both Ginny and Lucius looked up sharply at Draco's statement.

"Ok. Wrong answer. We'll go now.

Draco grabbed Ginny firmly about the waist and disapparated. 

After a moment Lucius disapparated as well. He needed to talk to Narcissa and he needed to have a long conversation with his son.


	3. Plotting

"I forbid you to marry that girl.

"What?" Draco had just apparated to the parlor of Malfoy Manor, after successfully returning Ginny to their flat, and was shocked that these were the first words from his father. Ginny had given him to understand

"She's going to get us all killed. Lucius began to pace Ðat least until Narcissa came up to him and laid one small white hand on his shoulder.

"Let's all sit down and have some tea and discuss this." Narcissa ushered her husband and son towards the tea tray. Things were never good when Lucius was agitated.

"Father, I love her. I know it's terribly inconvenient.

"Oh, yes terribly. His mother muttered. Pouring her son a cup she fantasized about slipping him some poison, quite easy to do, just enough to make him understand the meaning of inconvenience. How her son got entangled with that muggle-loving, impulsive

"Well, if you must marry her, wait until after the war, or lock her up in the dungeons. You cannot allow her to drag you under.

Narcissa almost smirked at her husbands' waffling Ð except part of her was too furious. Perhaps this Weasley girl had entranced her husband too. Locked up in a dungeon indeed. Perhaps it was time to remind Lucius of just what chains felt like Ðand perhaps she had better pay attention to her son. She couldn't afford to lose the thread of this conversation.

"I can't do that. " Draco's voice cracked. "I want to behave properly. I hate having to come after her. I hate knowing she thinks the fate of the world, of Potter, is more important than us. I could forget about her if it was just Potter she supported Ð but it's her entire family. I can't make her forget her family.

Narcissa crumbled a biscuit between her fingers. She hated seeing Draco so pathetic and so blind. Quietly, she wiped the crumbs on the napkin and waited.

"If I prevent her from fighting, she'll blame herself if anything happens to them. 

"Draco, if I have to, I will lock you up. I allowed you to stay back from this war because, well we're not fanatics.

Narcissa nearly snorted. What did he call Bellatrix?

"Father, Ginny wants our help. We won't be the first to change our mind. Snape

"Don't talk to me about Snape. Lucius snapped. "He thinks he's changed his spots Ð but all those years stuck at Hogwarts, he remained quite the sadist, torturing his students. From Death-Eater to Professor, well I have no plans to limit myself. That is why we joined Voldemort, you know. He promised to expand the limits of our power.

"He won't be able to keep that promise. I don't believe in Dumbledore, or St. Potter, but I don't believe in Voldermort, or Crabbe, or Goyle.

"Morons fill the ranks of both sides, Draco.

"Enough. Narcissa's voice was cool and crisp. "What we need is a quick end to this conflict. A decisive confrontation between Potter and the Dark Lord. It doesn't really matter who wins, we just need to have a cover story for both sides. Talk to Potter and Dumbledore. Tell them you'll take Potter to Voldemort. He'll pretend to be your prisoner, but perhaps he wasn't thoroughly searched Ð let the blame for that fall on someone else. They fight and after that we rewrite history.

"That's brilliant, Narcissa. Lucius turned to his wife and kissed her.

"It's not enough. Draco muttered. "Potter has to win. Ginny would never give up fighting.

"Why would you want to ally yourself with an idiot?" Lucius asked dumbfounded at the stupidity of Gryffindors, and his son who adored one.

"She's not an idiot. She's an idealist.

"Fine. We'll poison Voldemort beforehand. Narcissa spit out. "We'll make everything easy for Potter so delivering the final blow will be as easy as opening a chocolate frog card. Will that satisfy you? Do you have any suggestions for how we save my sister, who will want revenge when her Master is torn from her? What will you do for the parents of your friends?

Draco was silent.

"You're a Slytherin all right. Selfish to the core. I see you believed what all the world said about us. So the world will be saved by a spoiled brat too afraid to lose his girlfriend, and too heartless to care what happens to the rest of us!" Narcissa sighed. "Oh sit back down and have another cup of tea. We still have much to plan.


End file.
